DNP Admission Requirements

• Hold a BSN degree from an ACEN or CCNE accredited program conferred by the spring semester prior to matriculation. Any degrees in progress must be conferred by the end of Spring Semester.
• An active unencumbered license to practice as a registered nurse in North Carolina or compact state by the summer prior to matriculation.
• Possess a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in your undergraduate nursing program. Applicants with a GPA between 2.75–2.99 may apply but must offer a strong justifiable explanation.
• Eligible to return to any institutions of higher learning previously attended.
• Have completed a course in statistics (graduate-level courses are acceptable) with an earned grade of B or better. Courses must be full-credit (typically 3-4 credit hours), and must be taken for a letter grade. Certificate and refresher courses are not accepted. Any course planned or in progress must be completed by the end of Spring Semester.
• Within three years of applying and by the application deadline, applicants must have at least one year of paid clinical work experience as a Registered Nurse. Preference is given to applicants who meet the specialty-specific requirements below, within three years of applying and by the application deadline.
  • Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner: You should have direct care experience in community, hospital or ambulatory settings that serve adult or geriatric patients. Experience limited to the intra- operative setting is insufficient.
  • Family Nurse Practitioner: You should have experience as an RN in a public health/community, hospital, or ambulatory setting that provides care for patients of all ages.
  • Health Care Leadership and Administration (HCLA): You should have leadership experience within a health care setting, such as serving as a committee member or leading a service project.
  • Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care: You should have the equivalent of at least 6 months of full-time clinical experience as an RN in a neonatal or pediatric setting, or community setting that serves children and families.
  • Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner: You should have the equivalent of 6 months of full-time clinical work experience as an RN in an acute or community setting dealing with psychiatric illness/substance abuse. Preference is given to applicants with work experience in a clinical psychiatric setting.

All students admitted to the School of Nursing are required by the North Carolina Board of Nursing to provide documentation of their fitness to provide safe nursing care to the public. Failure to provide requisite documentation will result in the withdrawal of the admission offer. Additionally, North Carolina law requires incoming students to present to the University, before the first day of enrollment, evidence verifying that the student has received all required immunizations.

Further, federal and state statutory regulations and clinical affiliate contractual mandates require that nursing students demonstrate particular cognitive and clinical competencies consistent with their minimum professional practice standards. As such, students must attain and maintain full compliance with all requirements. The school also requires students to undergo a criminal history database check following admission acceptance at the student’s expense. The check covers all addresses in which the student has lived, worked or attended an educational institution in the past seven years or since the 16th birthday, whichever is less. Database checks will address all criminal charges, felony and misdemeanor level convictions (except minor traffic related violations), and the Sexual Offender/Predator Registry for all states in which the student has lived. Reports are shared with clinical agencies who require all charges be resolved prior to the start of clinical practice. Questions about these requirements may be directed to the Office of Student Affairs at 919-966-4260.

Multiple clinical agencies now require students undergo drug testing prior to the start of clinical practice at their sites. A 12-panel urine screen to test for drugs is required per contract specifications and conducted at student’s expense.

Students who seek reasonable accommodations for disabilities must contact the Office of Accessibility Resources & Service (919-962-8300). Staff in this office will determine a student’s eligibility for, and recommend, appropriate accommodations and services. Also see the School of Nursing’s policy.

Consistent with its mission and philosophy, the School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is committed to providing educational opportunities to students with disabilities. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the school provides reasonable accommodations to otherwise qualified students with disabilities. The decision regarding appropriate accommodations will be based on the specifics of each case.